ZOLTAN Gera has completed his return to the Hawthorns.

The 32-year-old has signed a two-year deal, with a further 12 months in the club's favour.

Gera recently underwent an ankle operation and is expected to be fit sometime in mid-September, although he was due to miss the opening three games due to a ban following his sending-off in Fulham's final game of last season.

The Hungarian initially joined Albion in 2004, scoring 25 goals in 155 appearances, before joining Roy Hodgson's Fulham in 2008.

Hodgson was pleased to welcome back the attacking midfielder, who also filled attacking roles for the Londoners during his spell there.

"Having decided not to renew his contract at Fulham Zoltan has come back to the club where he started his career in England," said Hodgson.

"The last time he played at West Bromwich Albion he was a very popular figure with everyone at the club, not least of all the fans.

"I of course know him well and admired him in the two years we worked together at Fulham, where he was an integral part of the team that did well during those years.

"I think it is a massive coup for the club that we have been able to persuade him to come back to West Brom despite the many other offers he had, because he is a player that is widely appreciated in the Premier League and abroad.

"I think it is an excellent signing and he is a player I hope will do as well in the coming seasons as he has done in the past seasons with West Brom and Fulham.

"In Zoltan Gera we've acquired not only a first-class player but a first-class person and we think that's also important to the way we want the club to move forward."